Thomas j



T. J. HART.

(No Model.)

GREASE GUI.

No. 440,309. Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

Y' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. HART, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SHERVOOD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GREASE-CUP.

`SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,309, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed May 29,1890. Serial No. 353,577. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York,

5 have invented new and useful Improvements in Grease-Cups, of which the following is a specification.

,A This invention relates to that class of lubricators in which a solid lubricant-such, for

1o instance, as grease-is employed, and which are provided with plungers, whereby the grease is expelled from the discharge-aperture or nozzle of the cup.

My invention has more especial reference r 5 to a grease-cup of the class which is especially desirable for use in connection with overhead shafting or in places which are difficult of access.

The object of my invention is to producea 2o cheap grease-cup of simple and compact construction and in which the plunger can be conveniently and quickly operated from the ioor or from a distance, in case the same is not easily accessible.

2 5 In the accompanying` drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved grease-cup.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 3

is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of the greasecup- Like letters of reference refer to like parts inthe several figures.

A represents the body of the cup or receptacle containing the lubricant and which is provided at its lower end with a screw-thread- 3 5 ed discharge-nozzle a, whereby the cup is attached to a journal-bearing or other part to be lubricated. The body A is provided on its outer surface with a vertical series of annular ribs or flanges l), which preferably extend from 4o end to end of the cup, as shown. These ribs are each provided with beveled or inclined side faces and abrupt bottom faces.

C represents the cover applied to the top of the cup A and provided with a deep rib or 45 flange c, which lits over the body of the cup.

D represents a recessed lug or enlargement on one side of the cover at or near the lower edge thereof, and Eis a horizontal spring bolt or catch sliding in the recess of the enlarge- 5o ment and adapted to engage with one of the annular ribs of the cup. The head of the spring-catch is provided with an inclined or beveled face and a straight upper face, which latter engages against the abrupt bottom faces of the annular ribs.

f is a spiral spring surrounding the stem of the catch between its head and the outer end of the recessed enlargement, and whereby the catch is pressed inwardly toward the ribs of the cup. The catch is provided with a knob 6o g for retracting it.

H is the plunger, arranged in the cup and bearing against the grease contained therein. The plunger is guided by means of a sleeve or hollow stem 7L, formed centrally on the in- 65 ner side of the cover C and fitting into a collar or sleeve 71, formed on the upper side of the plunger, as represented in Fig. 2. The plunger is attached to the cover by a bolt or screw t', which passes loosely with its outer 7o portion through an opening formed in the closed inner end h2 of the sleeve h, and is se cured with its reduced inner end in an opening in the plunger. The head of the boltz bears against the ,closed inner end of the 75 sleeve of the cover when the latter is in its outermost position, and thereby prevents the two sleeves from becoming disconnected.

J is a spiral spring arranged within the cover C around the sleeves h 7L and bearing 8o with its upper end against the cover and with its inner end against the plunger. This spring tends to depress the plunger and causes the y same to exert a continuous pressure upon the grease in the cup, thereby expelling the same 8 5 from the nozzle of the cup. The straight upper side of the spring=catch bearing against the abrupt bottom of the annular ribs h holds the cover in place on the cup and prevents the same from being lifted from the cup by 9o the spring bearing against the plunger. Upon pressing the cover inwardly, the inclined face of the spring-catch rides over the inclined side faces of the annular ribs, causing the catch to be moved outwardly and permitting'the 95, coverto be depressed. The cover is thus held at any desired point on the cup by simply depressing it, whereby the tension of the compression-spring is conveniently adj usted from time to time as the grease is consumed. The I no convenience with which the plunger is adjusted renders my improved cup particularly desirable for overhead journals of shafting, or in places which are not easily approached, as the plunger is readily depressed, when required, by giving the cover of the cup a slight tap or blow with a bar or stick. The cover is readily removed for refilling the cup by withdrawing the spring-catch out of engagement with the abrupt faces of the annular ribs.

In the modification represented in Fig. 3, the compression-spring is omitted and the plunger is rigidly connected to the cover by a stem 7c, which is preferably hollow and cast integral with the plunger and cover. In this case the plunger does not exert a continuous pressure upon the grease and the plunger must be more frequently adjusted to maintain a sufficient pressure upon the grease to expel it from the cup.

My improved grease-cup being composed of few parts is very simple in construction and can be manufactured at small cost. As the cover fits over the body and itself forms the part whereby the plunger is adj usted, the cup is rendered very compact and the number of parts is reduced to a minimum.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the body of the cup provided with a vertical series of external ribs or projections having inclined sides and abrupt bottom faces, of a sliding cover fitting over the body of the cup and provided with a spring-catch engaging with said ribs or projections, and a plunger arranged in the cup and connected With the cover, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the body of the cup provided with a vertical series of external ribs or projections having inclined sides and abrupt bottom faces, of a sliding cover fitting over the body of the cup and provided with a spring-catch engaging with said ribs or projections, a plunger arranged in the cup and connected with the cover, and a spring interposed between the cover and the plunger, substantially as set forth.

' 3. The combination, with the body of the cup having on its outer surface a series of vhorizontal ribs provided with inclined side 

